Motor vehicles are among the most safety-critical tools and equipment that people use on a daily basis. Anything major that goes wrong with a vehicle could lead to a potentially deadly collision. Consumers, especially those purchasing new vehicles, naturally expect that the expensive machinery that they pay thousands of dollars to purchase will be safe for them to operate.
Unfortunately, as there are so many moving pieces in a motor vehicle, there are many opportunities for defects and other issues to go unnoticed during the manufacturing process. Sometimes, despite all of the redundant safety checks in place, vehicles with defective components or poorly-designed systems still make it to the sales floor.
When defects affect public safety, dangerous vehicles end up getting recalled. Sometimes, recalls relate to relatively minor issues. Other times, a motor vehicle recall is indicative of a problem that could potentially cost someone their life. A recent Honda recall related to frame issues falls into the second category, as a compromised frame could mean that a vehicle fails to protect its occupants during a crash.
What triggered the Honda recall?
There are 563,711 Honda CR-Vs in the United States that could have corroded frames. Any vehicles operated in the so-called “salt belt states” that see frequent ice and snow accumulation could have developed corrosion issues due to the chemical exposure. The splash up toward the frame when driving through puddles and slush that contain the snow melt salt could lead to rust and a compromised frame.
CR-Vs built between 2007 and 2011 are part of the recall, although Honda estimates that only about 1% of the vehicles will actually have any frame corrosion issues. So far, there have not been any fatalities or major injuries reported related to the corrosion issues.
While motorists in Texas might assume that corrosion would not be an issue for them, used vehicles frequently travel across state lines. If someone doesn’t know where the previous owners of their vehicle lived, then their CR-V could potentially have rust damage that would make it unsafe to drive. Those that present their vehicles as instructed by Honda in letters that should come out in May of 2023 will be able to obtain repairs or replacements for their vehicles.
Any time that manufacturers release unsafe products to the public, the potential exists for people to suffer significant injuries and financial losses as a result of these oversights and failures. Pursuing a product defect claim with the assistance of an experienced legal professional may be a viable option for those who have been harmed because of a poorly-designed or defective motor vehicle.